Layamon was a medieval English poet whose biographical details are now difficult to establish with certainty, and available public information about him is quite limited; his period and linguistic milieu can usually be inferred only from his work. He is known for the verse Layamon's Brut, which draws on early British legend and historical tradition, was written in Middle English, and shows a distinct narrative rhythm and an oral, recitative quality. The poem brings the Arthurian legend into the English literary tradition, helping to spread the material among English readers and forming an important link in later English Arthurian narrative. While building on existing sources, Layamon pays attention to developing characters and battle scenes; his language is plain yet rhythmical, and his work is therefore regarded as an important text for the study of medieval English poetry and the transmission of British legend.
